Hi SH,
Many Independents will likely be forced to join the ‘Hot Water Party’ as the high price of teabags in the near future will necessitate the move to a ‘lighter’ brewed beverage, at least until a ‘hot water’ tax is imposed.

Hey SamH … I haven’t seen ya pop on my blog lately … If I offended you in any way , I sincerely apologize … I miss your comments … I’d love to see you pop in and comment again … I’ve bin following your line of thought … Always a great read ! …

Hey Morb – I’ve been caught up in the vice of real life vs the blog here. When I saw you check in this week more than once I knew my time without an “I miss you” from your quarter would be coming. No, you have NEVER offended me. And if you ever do, no worries. Unconditional friendship. Remember.

Digital Camera !! Mine’s a Kodak , but it’s only 4 months old and now toast !! Musta damaged the lens somehow when it was in my jacket pocket … 150.00 bucks down the tube !! … I’ll have to get another one ! … They’re damn handy to capture the moment and work well with this blogging thing.

I did that to a small digital camera. I had a canon elf. I thought it had been broken forever. Then I took one of those compressed air cans and sprayed the inside and voila – dirt gone; camera ok. I found that it is critical to carry cameras in a case. Morb, try spraying the air around the lens (if it is zoom) – also if the cap is a series of flaps that close. Try it.

Are we talking bluebells are in bloom down there or is it blue bonnets. I always think of Lady Bird Johnson when I hear about Texas wild flowers. Yes, flowers, sunshine and forsythia bushes ready to pop.

Thanks so much for dropping by my blog. It has inspired me to continue write and post photos. Had been mulling over not doing the above – amazing what a little encouragement can do! Am also delighted that you enjoyed the music ~ YoYo Ma is a musical joy. So you too play the cello! Life is full of born again experiences, eh.

It’s so good to see you here. Do not think to give up your gifts. I have a MA in English lit and have been in the writing racket on and off for years so I know good writing. You have the gift of evoking imagery and have a unique turn of phrase.

I have a few loyal followers. I write for them. If only one person loved my writing, I would be out here writing for that one person. The reward is in the doing. I love doing it. I love tweaking it. I love finding other writers out there from whom I can learn – like from your things.

I took photography at RIT – the whole nine yards. I did black and white photography, knew how to develop well. But time is short in a day and chemicals always expired before I could get to them so today I just have a good point and shoot with a zoom lens. AGE!!! However, as you know, if you don’t keep up with the photography, you lose your quick responses to subjects and your editorial eye. You have a very well trained eye.

When I realized that my rhythmic difficulties and my coordination were such that I could never really play cello in an orchestra, I gave mine to a young student at the Eastman School of Music who could not afford one. I felt so good about that. My cello teacher gave her free lessons.

While I played it, I loved it and it gave me an intimate sense of what good players have to overcome to produce what they do for our enjoyment. I not only met Ma but I also met the Cleveland Quartet with whom he was recording at the time (the Quartet were resident artists and teachers at Eastman then).

I have met other musicians because of the school but the most fun was meeting the members of the Chinese orchestra in NYC. The director let me play the Ehru (spelling?) which is a relative of our stringed instruments and which also comes in many sizes. End of lecturette LOL! Please do come again.

Good to see you my Morb. Thanks for the appreciation of the occasional humorous hit at my favorite bulls eye. I was thinking about you just yesterday (April 23) and how I need to get over to see you and lo, the Morb’s all-seeing eye appears!

Morb – “will you still like me when I’m old and gray”? You have answered the Beatles’ question. Thanks for not dumping me along the side of the road, Morbie. I hope you do get into your great and unique blog more. Your followers and followers to come need it.

Thanks SamH ! By the way , for some unknown reason , I took my camera to work last week and again managed to hear it clunk up against the wall when I grabbed my jacket to leave … and lo and behold … IT WORKS AGAIN !!! LOL !!!

Looks like I need to reset the old clock! I’m in your time zone but I’m zoned out!

I see more clearly what you are saying. Just how long do we have to support the Native peoples because of overrunning their lands and or buying them. That’s a good question. Perhaps several hundred years is sufficient. I feel that if you work off the reservation then you do need to pay taxes on that amount just as when I went to live in Canada, I had to pay Canadian taxes AND US taxes. Everybody wants to get into the act as Jimmy Durante used to say. So yes, off reservation work: pay taxes. On reservation work: it’s the decision of the tribal elders.

Hi Sam ! I was just perusing your site and got my week off to a great start with that ‘ funny English speaking terrorist ‘ UTube vid !!!! Too funny !!! … How does one go about putting those into your blog ? … I’d appreciate your help …

Glad you liked it. I could NOT stop laughing. OK, I think you have to upgrade to be able to put videos on your blog. It’s about $25.00 or so – check out the list of upgrades. Then when you want to snag a YouTube video (the only ones we can put into wordpress at the moment) you copy the url and paste it into your blog post. Then you surround that with a bracket [ followed without spaces by the phrase youtube= followed by no spaces and the url and then no spaces and close bracket].

If the above formatting is unclear, I’ll send you an email because if I illustrate it here, the code will display as the video! SH

Just finished the big pork reheat supper !! … Hate lettin’ food go to waste ! … Made a good gravy to liven it up .. That helped … Now I think I need a wee kip for an hour or so before the countdown to the new year gets close …

I’m here, Morb. I have had to clean the kitchen before I could use it. Just finished my New Year’s blog post. I’ll try to rest easy except checking for comments tomorrow. I’m on my way over to your blog. I love pork road, chops, etc. I used to love the English-style country pork sausage in Toronto. It was wonderful. Tomorrow I will FINALLY get to roast the turkey that has been cooling its heels in the fridge. Tonight – leftovers – pot roast. We’re into comfort food tonight I guess. And we need it. Cold winds will blow again soon.

But I now have the two seeing eye dog rejects. They always greet me by picking up one of my shoes which they then carry around, then hide. I often have to go places with mismatch shoes because I can’t find a matching pair.

The dog that was actually placed with a client allegedly developed “a food obsession”. The client had a vending machine. Business but IMHO the dog was obsessed with food because it was starved for affection. The second dog was expelled from puppy school because the “clicker” training regime conditioner her to drool excessively. Both dogs were raised in a home where they received lots of affection so I suspect that it was the impersonal regime of training then working that caused the problems.

I have this image of the dogs arriving at Seeing Eye Dog School being a scene reminiscent of the movie Cool Hand Look. “you pee on the floor, you do time. In the box. You don’t finish your food instantly, you do time in the box. You bark to much, you do time in the box.”. Then of course there would have to be a scene where the male seeing eye dogs encounter a female Golden retriever who is washing a car.

The Great White Huntress waits patiently in her lair overlooking the lake, watching as the pigmies struggle to subdue The Great White RINO. The Great White Huntress has a RINO Rifle, but she eschews the fray. She knows RINOs well. She is renowned for hunting the corrupt herds of Wholly RINOs of the North. The Great White Huntress knows that RINOs are myopic and stupid, but they are also vain, venial, vindictive and vicious. The Southern herds of RINOs have eagerly used her as scapegoat for their champion’s defeat in 2008. By far the vilest RINO is the littlest RINO with that ridiculous bow tie. His vulgarities about “MILFistan” and “The Womb Shifter” make her trigger finger twitch, but she holds her fire because she realizes that he is merely compensating for something.

The Great White Huntress is cautious, content to merely observe the fray. In addition to the Great White RINO, there is the Little White RINO, wandering around, muttering in Mandarin. An even greater threat is the band of pigmies who are hunting the Great White RINO. These not so cunning runts have little hope of subduing the RINO because their spears are so puny and they are so intent on stabbing each other in the back. The Great White Huntress knows that even if she slays The Great White RINO, she will then have to subdue the pigmies as well. The Great White Huntress also knows that if she enters the fray too soon, the pigmies will try to stab her in the back as well. Of course the pigmies are too small and their spears are too short to stab her in the back, but they can still spoil her aim by stabbing her in the butt. Many of the pigmies like the RINOs and the Donkeys have been obsessed with her butt ever since the 1998 election. The Great White Huntress prefers to wait, occasionally sniping at the RINO and the pigmies from her lair overlooking the lake, clearing the field.

The pink pigmy is the first to step up to take her shot at the RINO, winning the Iowa Straw Poll only to have her poll numbers collapse when the Texas pigmy steps forward. The Great White Huntress speaks, “this isn’t your time,” and the Pink Pigmy wisely retires from the battle, unbloodied, with her reputation and honor intact.

The Pizza pigmy steps up to take his shot and he soars in the polls. Then comes a blizzard of scurrilous charges against him. The Great White Huntress speaks, seemingly sympathetic yet incredulous, as if expecting more accusations, “Herb needs to answer the charges fully and forthrightly.” The Great White Huntress prescience is confirmed when a woman comes forward with phone records and banking records to confirm her tale. After consulting with his wife, the pizza pigmy retires from the field with neither his pride or reputation, but hopefully his anatomy, intact.

The Great White Huntress speaks again, praising the Pennsylvania Pigmy. The praise gives that pigmy the courage to step up to take his shot and virtually tie the RINO in the Iowa Caucus. Then the Great White Huntress’ husband praises the Georgia Pigmy. The sudden discouragement causes the Pennsylvania pigmy to stumble and he is trampled under the RINO’s cruel feet on the plains of New Hampshire. The Great White Huntress speaks, “Who me? That was just the First Dude going rogue.”.

The pigmies then ignore the RINO to turn on the oldest and perhaps wisest pigmy. The Great White Huntress speaks, “don’t alienate the Libertarians,” and the pigmies resume stalking the RINO.

The Great White Huntress speaks again. “If I could vote in North Carolina, I’d vote for the Georgia pigmy just to keep the contest going.”. The encouragement allows the Georgia pigmy to triumph in North Carolina, and the RINO suddenly stumbles and falls. The RINO struggles to it’s feet, severely wounded but enraged by the pain.

Alarmed by the Great White RINO’s fall and frustrated by his failure to intimidate the Pigmies with his linguistic expertise, the Little White RINO retreats from the field, still muttering in Mandarin.

The Rotund RINO who had been observing the fray suddenly charges to the Great White RINOs defense. The Georgia Pigmy is trampled under the RINOs corpulence. The Great White Huntress Speaks, “he got his panties in a twist because his candidate lost.” Humiliated by images of himself wearing Granny Panties, Bikini Panties, or horror of hours a Thong, the Rotund RINO retreats from the field, effectively emasculated.

They grow up so fast. That rolly polly puppy phase when you can carry them around wrapped in a blankie lasts for only a few precious weeks. Then they become leaner and so energetic in their efforts to assert their independance.

The wife and I visited with her parents and brother and his brother’s puppy, aka Spaniel X- dog of mystery, yesterday. The nephew puppy is now fifteen years old which makes him about 80 in human years. The deterioration in his health was disconcerting.

Dearest Morb – I fell down again and hurt my back/hip and am limping around. I gained more weight and so I am having to carry more weight. I need to get some control here. I also have my hands full with Charlie – a hyper active, amorous boy already! Imp is 11 but he likes older “women.” At the tender age of 70 and with arthritis, I have to sally forth and throw balls and frisbies in this cold weather – weather that killed the blossoms on the fully in bloom magnolias. Worse, the poor apple growers were out last night with the smudge pots trying to save their crop. I am deeply touched by your care and friendship, Morb. Lobe SH

Good to hear from ya … I hope you are recuperating from the fall quickly … We had some great weather for a few weeks … Then the past few days March decided to show up !!! … ‘Course … With drastic changes back and forth .. I’ve got the endless sniffles … Plus my joints have been shot for quite some time now … So I can sympathize with ya on the arthritis thing … All the years of workin’ with steel and power tools … I’ve got tendinitis that flares up as well !!! … And on Thursday I’ll be hittin’ the ripe old age of 52 !!! … But feel more like up there in your neck of the woods =)) …

But summer’s comin’ !!! … We’ll both have to trudge forth and make sure we can enjoy it !!! … For me , the hot tub comes in handy ! …

Sorry to hear that at your age you are at my level of discomfort. That stinks. Well, you have enjoyed your work for the most part and it has helped keep you and your son going. Love you to pieces and you have to take care of yourself. Someday we will meet in Niagara-on-the lake and hoist a cup of tea! LOL

Anyone notice that the Islamic radicals that Obama, Clinton, Powers and Huma Wiener brought to power in Egypt and Lybia just sacked our embassies? Now explain again why Rep Bachmann was out of line for questioning the judgement and loyalty of Clinton’s top aid whose family has very well documented ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Hello SamHenry,
Today, Aug 20, 2013, is the first day I’ve found & read your Feb 2011 article about the Americans who were stranded in Tripoli. Although it’s been 3 years since I endured this trip from hell, I wasn’t able to read or see many of the news stories, being in transit / survival mode dealing with the practicalities of no home, no job, no place.

The 16,000 Chinese workers you mentioned escaped in style: their cruise ship was docking just as we left the waterfront in Tripoli that Friday evening.

On the Maria Dolores, conditions worsened during the 8-hour trip to Valletta: we endured 5 knot winds and gut-wrenching seas arriving long after midnight. Most of the 285 passengers on the Dolores were seasick, all of us fell on the deck at least once, several of my group sustained broken bones. The crew was an inspiration – they endured much hardship on our behalf and never faltered in their duty. The elderly British gentleman next me had just arrived 2 days before on holiday – he was completely unruffled about the situation and quite stoic.

Escape was really only Step 1 – the entire island of Malta was flooded with victims & refugees flowing in at the rate of 5,000 a day – hotel rooms, taxis, everything was at a premium. It was a modern day Casablanca movie set come to life. Our group was split up at the docks, five of us went together, for hours from hotel to hotel – no rooms available. We wound up in the red light district – thrilled to at last find a tiny, very cold room, right across from the all-nighter discos. After 2 weeks of no sleep, you cannot imagine the sense of relief.

Now, 3 years later, I am finally able to take the time to sort through each memory and put all these demons to rest. I would like to read more articles, to see what was happening during this time – I had heard the news media was covering the situation, but at the time, most of us felt pretty alone. A much belated thank you for the story and making an effort to get the word out about our plight-

I came to your blog via “Blackwatertown” via “A Way with Words” . I saw the youtube video of the three tenors singing “Be Thou My Vision”. Thank you SamHenry, this is undoubtedly one of my very favourite hymns. It never ceases to bring a tear to my eye.
I’m on a Sabbatical from blogging/reading blogs for the month of September for health reasons (oseoarthritis/falls etc), but couldn’t resist responding just this once. Bless you.

Thank you for your heart-felt response to the writings of SamHenry and the love of hyms here and other classical music as well. I wish you well in your painful recovery. I have stopped writing regularly for the next 6 months while I lose weight in preparation for a hip replacement. I can’t sit comfortably at a computer these days. Can’t wait to be back on a regular basis. Take care and visit again soon.